Business PickupData leaks can lead to financial loss, reputational damage, and legal action, among other consequences. While the stakes are often higher for organizations, individuals can also face setbacks if their personal data gets in the wrong hands. With this in mind, many people and companies follow deletion practices to prevent hackers from stealing sensitive information. Yet, this can provide a false sense of security, as deletion still leaves a road through which information can be retrieved on your hard drive. Here’s why deleting files falls short, and what you can do to fully protect yourself or your business.
Why Is Deleting Personal Data Insufficient for Preventing Data Leaks?
When you’ve deleted files in the past, you’ve likely noticed that the process is much quicker than creating or downloading them. That’s because the file isn’t truly gone from your hard drive — even after you’ve emptied your computer’s trash bin. Instead, the information has been written onto the hard drive’s magnetic fields, which allows the information to be retrieved again. This is especially true for anyone with the right tools and know-how.
Deleted files are also stored on a “map” within your computer. From here, the computer retrieves information quickly when it’s requested, saving time from having to search through the entire hard drive. Eventually, your computer will overwrite the sections of the map containing deleted files as more data is created. Yet, until then, hackers with specialized software can manually search through hard drives, including the data you deleted.
How to Ensure Your Sensitive Data Is Never Leaked
Businesses and individuals with sensitive data stored on their devices can use methods such as software updates, high-grade encryptions, and multi-factor authentication to help reduce the risk of breaches. Yet, the real threat emerges when the device containing private information is no longer in use. When it’s time to part ways with an unwanted device, there are only two options available for data destruction:
- Data Wiping: In this process, software is used to completely overwrite a hard drive’s storage using a non-sensitive type of data, such as a binary pattern. The software reads and writes commands on the device, thereby ensuring no data can ever be retrieved.
- Physical Data Destruction: Also known as physical shredding, this process is performed similarly to how paper documents are shredded. Hard drives are dismantled and broken down into small pieces by an industrial shredder. Afterwards, the components are separated, melted down, and reused. The process renders any data completely unrecoverable.
To ensure your data is fully destroyed, it’s imperative to perform due diligence when seeking an IT asset disposition (ITAD) company for picking up used IT assets or going to a residential drop-off. For the utmost level of confidence, look for a company with a certification such as NAID AAA, the highest standard for secure data destruction.
As a NAID AAA-certified ITAD company, Quantum Lifecycle has a closed-loop process for data destruction. With services such as asset tracking and certificates of destruction, we ensure your assets never fall into the wrong hands. Find out more about how we can help with your data destruction needs by submitting an inquiry online.